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The transmission of the light: we need you...

Hi all,

We started the study of the Transmission of the Light a few weeks ago and the thread is already running thin. I understand that this work is difficult and that reading Keizan and Hixon requires patience and a lot of courage. But we know that out there we have amazing guys who could just swing and rock along. I am thinking about old students but also new people...Rich, Dosho, Eika, Zak, rculver,BrianW, Kyrillos,jrh001,JamesVB,Alanla, Jen, Jikyo,Da5id,Dday, Soendoshin,Monkton, Peter, Fuken, CraigfromAz, Anista and many more....Please, pay us a visit and drop of a few lines. I am also thinking about our three priests. This study is paramount importance in the process of training as a priest. So please, come back or join in.

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

Taigu, as usual, you did not address me directly, but I am responding anyway... :wink:

I had meant to post every week after the first week I joined the discussion but in the busy-ness of my life, I let it go... I am really enjoying studying these amazing texts, which I have continued to read even as I have not been posting to the discussion threads.

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

Yes response have been quite thin lately. I believe I am up to date, but could comment more....I have something "peculating" for this weeks reading and will post as soon as possible. I might add that the book club has been very helpful in getting me to dig into the readings. I believe Jundo recommends that everyone tries to make one post per week and I find that quite useful in integrating the readings into my practice. Even if I do not think my posting is all that "profound" or "unique" it has been my experience just the discipline of making a posting is of great benefit.

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

Hi Stephanie,

I had no intention to exclude you and not to address yoiu directly. I made the mistake to forget you as I did actually forgot many others :roll: ...I am sorry. And I would also like to thank you for the kind words you had recently on the teacher thread. Take care.

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

I was not getting anything out of these books, so I had decided to let them go until a later time when (hopefully) my understanding or intuition on these matters was sharper. But I will try again this week. Note that I will be out of town most of September so I will not be posting at all then (except maybe at the occasional internet cafe).

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

Gassho Taigu, no need to apologize and no worries, I was just poking the bear with a stick :wink:

I sometimes wonder about not hearing from you more on the forum, and a thought process starts going, "Does Taigu not address me because he thinks I'm full of shit? Is his silence an approval or a rejection? Don't I need to be taught more, reminded more of my own foolishness and belief in my stories? Maybe I pissed Taigu off some time ago and he doesn't like to deal with me any more?" But then perhaps seeing all that I project onto silence is as good a teaching as any... :shock: :wink:

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

I was completely lost by week two (and felt fairly miserable about it) so haven't continued with the reading. The books sit menacingly on the shelf and I sometimes wonder what I should do with them.

Originally Posted by CraigfromAz

I was not getting anything out of these books, so I had decided to let them go until a later time when (hopefully) my understanding or intuition on these matters was sharper.

Just wanted to state that I feel lost...a lot! I sometimes read the brilliant posts by some of our members and think "why didn't I understand that" or "I'm not sure what is meant by that post." A couple of suggestions....I sometimes go back and read, for a second time, a passage someone has posted about. Another point is that you can always post a question or make a post and ask if it is correct. I love our current books, but they can be overwhelming and there are passages that go way over my head. Just break the readings down....even if I feel that a few sentences that speak to me, something of value has been accomplished. Hope that helps!

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

Thanks for the reminder, Taigu. I walk by the books on my shelf every day and think about sitting down to read - then it's tomorrow and I'm walking by the books yet again. I will post this week even though I usually have very little to say.

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

For the little that it is worth, I like the books yet agree they can be difficult. I sometimes have to read (or re-read) the two corresponding chapters and then think about them for a while or sleep on them. Eventually, I get something out of them, even if it's just one small thing, and sometimes what I get out of them is from the thread and not the books themselves.

I'm beginning to view the companion books as a big meal that you have to eat bite by bite, and some of those bites take a lot of chewing to get down. But at the end of the meal you find it was both very nutritious and satisfying, yet all that nutrition and full feeling of satisfaction would be lost if you pushed away from the table too often. You know, there was a reason your mom made you eat all your vegetables when a kid, and there are a lot of adults that now like vegetables because of that. And if you were one of those kids who secretly fed your vegetables to the dog under the table, he got all those extra servings of Buddha nature (mu) that you missed.

Re: The transmission of the light: we need you...

Hi Taigu
A swift kick is occasionally a good thing and thanks for it! With awareness that "THIS" was there before Sakyamuni became enlightened and "THIS" was there after his enlightenment it all seemed so useless to continue the study that ends in the same place we started. However after the kick I have discovered many great teachings. Gassho zak